3. It’s for your church.
How is it that many of our churches have somehow existed and functioned for the last 50 to 100 years without us, yet all of a sudden we come and develop this complex that our church can now no longer live without us for a week or two.
Using all your vacation time given to you forces others to step up in your absence, shows them they can make it without you for a time, and reminds the pastor most of all that God is not utterly dependent on him for this church to function.
We are expendable, and we need regular jolts of humility to remind us of that.
As a result, for the last three years I have used my full year of vacation given to me by the church since I was called as pastor. The reasons above that my friend confronted me with all showed to be true and fruitful in those ways as I did so.
What have I learned from taking all my vacation time these last few years? … Well, I plan on taking it all next year.
If you are a pastor, commit starting next year to take it all.
If you are not a pastor, do all you can to encourage your pastor to take it. You, your church and your pastor will experience multiple layers of benefit because of it.
